Just in:  A three-point formula may have been worked out marking the way ahead for the fractured politics in Tamil Nadu.

Our sources tell us that Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and former chief minister O Panneerselvam are on the verge of merging the two AIADMK factions thereby checkmating TTV Dhinakaran and VK Sasikala.

Even now, Palaniswami is chairing a meeting of his ministers and top leaders at the AIADMK headquarters in Chennai,

EPS will continue as Chief Minister, O Panneerselvam will be the deputy CM and will also be handed the home ministry portfolio.

Health minister C Vijayabasker who has been embroiled in a tax evasion case will be dropped.

The condition is that OPS, who heads the AIADMK (Puratchithalaivi Amma) faction will withdraw the petition from Election Commission. OPS will get three portfolios for his loyalists apart from the governance of six corporations.

Both the OPS and EPS factions said the announcement would be made today ahead of a formal merger by Independence Day.

The appointment of Sasikala as general secretary is under dispute before the Election Commission.